“I was having a bit of a hard time in my life, sad, scared and questioning my faith. It had been a difficult year with loss, Covid 19 and a life so far from normalcy. I kept thinking about a question I heard on TV one night. ‘Do you know where you will spend your eternity?’ I thought I did, but then came these thoughts creeping in my mind, was I sure? The devil is a clever one, he knows where and when to strike. The times are usually late at night and when you are at your weakest and most vulnerable. He begins to speak and you listen, he brings doubt into your mind and tries to make you feel that you are not worthy.
I talked to a friend that morning sharing how I was feeling, hopeless, sad and confused. In this past year I have prayed a lot, cried a lot and tried to depend on God more than ever, trying to build my relationship with God, but still having so much doubt. My friend shared with me and gave me the hope I needed. She reminded me that the devil attacks harder when you are trying to be your strongest and that I need to call and depend on God for help. Satan wants to steal you away from God because he knows how strong your faith is and he wants to win the battle. We also talked about forgiveness and how much God loves us that he gave His life for each one of us. The sins we commit everyday are gone the minute we ask forgiveness and are never thought of again. We prayed together and told God of our thankfulness for his love, grace and mercy. I was able to walk away with a renewed strength and knowledge of where I would spend eternity. We serve an awesome God. Amen.”
Those were my friends' words after we met one morning. She felt like God had really worked that morning but it did not stop there. Within the hour she sat down at her computer and saw the days devotional from our pastor. She said, being busy she got ready to scroll on by but felt a nudge to read it. The scripture was John 1: 29, NKJV, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’”" Pastor Barry said, “We know that God sent His perfect sacrifice, His Son, as our substitute for the penalty that must be paid for our sin...He takes away the sin that we submit to Him. But, what happens to them? Are they collected to be used against us? Let's see Psalm 103:12, NKJV, ‘As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.’ Thank you, Lord! Hebrews 8:12, NKJV, ‘For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ See? They ARE forgiven, removed, paid for, and remembered no more. That is God's mercy and grace through the only one who can provide it. Purposely, uniquely sent to be the Lamb of God.”
Don’t you just love how God works? It was the very thing she needed to read! I am so blown away at how God nudged Pastor Barry to use this particular Scripture and gave him the words to use for my friend. Then God nudged my friend to read that devotion. Think about how God works in our lives every minute of every day. And we don’t even know a fraction of what He is doing. All the while He is allowing situations to accomplish His goal. And He has a different plan for each of us. Jeremiah 29: 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Not only was she blessed but I was blessed to be able to be a part of something so wonderful and to be reminded of how God works! He remains faithful beyond measure, caring about every detail in our lives! I am reminded of one of my favorite verses, Ephesians 3: 20 NKJV “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”
How has He worked in your life today?